What you need in your design meeting survival kit

A friend of mine just got a job as a UX designer. She asked me for some advice on the first design meeting with her new team.

Here are 5 things that I have in my design meeting survival kit. On top of a well-prepared presentation, I use these tips to make sure that the design meeting is productive for everyone.

I hope they’ll help you rock that upcoming project kick-off or design review!

1. the action/decision you want from this meeting

You should be very clear on the objective of this meeting. The point of a meeting is to have alignment, make a decision and proceed with an action.

Being clear about this will help everyone stay on track and walk away with a result.

2. a note taker

If you’re presenting, it’s best to designate a note taker so you can concentrate on speaking and listening.

Often times there will be topics that need further discussions. You’d want to go back to your notes and make sure they’re covered.

3. a timer

You don’t need a physical timer per se, but be sure to designate an amount of time for each topic you want to present and discuss.

When the time is up for a topic, gently remind people that you need to move on to the next item on the agenda. If this topic requires more research or discussion, you will schedule a time for it later.

4. this sentence

“I don’t have an answer right now. Let me look into it and get back to you.”

No matter how much you’ve prepared for this meeting, you won’t have the answers to all the questions that might come up.

When you don’t really know the answer, it’s okay to say so. It’s better to do some research and get a more accurate and complete answer later.

With experience, you’ll be more capable of coming up with answers on the spot based on the projects you’ve worked on and the knowledge you’ve gained.

5. show up early

There’s nothing worse than starting off your design meeting with a technical glitch. Whether you’re having an in-person meeting or an online meeting, make sure you show up early and have all your software and hardware set up.

Does the prototype link work? Is the animation in your presentation playing smoothly? Are there enough sticky notes and markers for everyone?

This is especially important if you’re presenting in a conference room where you’re not familiar with the technology. For example, at a client’s company.

What else is in your design meeting survival kit?

I’m sure that you have a few items in your design meeting survival kit that’s tailored to where you work and who you work with.

Am I missing something? Share what’s in your design meeting survival kit in the comments!